


The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars

by InspectorBoxer



Series: Quiet Nights and Quiet Stars [3]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-04
Updated: 2016-07-05
Packaged: 2018-07-12 07:06:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7090855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InspectorBoxer/pseuds/InspectorBoxer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Cat and Kara grow closer, the Joker makes his presence known in National City.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the third installment in the Quiet Nights and Quiet Stars series. If you haven't read the first two stories you might want to start there. :)
> 
> Thanks as always to zennie and DJ Shiva for looking this over for me!
> 
> And thanks to everyone who keeps encouraging me to keep this story going, especially after I threw a cliffhanger in the last one...

The DEO was relatively quiet for the late hour, most of the patrols either still out or back and sleeping. Kara had timed her arrival accordingly, hoping she could find one or two allies to talk to about her unpleasant introduction to the Joker. The number of people she trusted at the organization had been painfully reduced as of late. Fortunately, she’d been lucky.

“You’re sure?”

Supergirl nodded slowly. “It was him. That laugh is pretty unmistakable once you’ve heard it. Especially in stereo.” Her ears had finally quit ringing shortly before she’d landed. She stared at the image of the Joker on the monitors, a thread of unease worming through her. His attack had rattled her, but it was Cat’s fear of him that unsettled Kara more.

Agent Vasquez shook her head. “Great. Just what we don’t need, the Joker running around National City while Non and his buddies try to launch this Myriad business.”

Supergirl smiled thinly, glancing at the other woman. “You don’t mind looking into him?”

Vasquez shook her head. “I’ll download everything I can find on him. Send it to your phone. I grew up near Gotham, ma’am. He’s not someone we should take lightly.”

Kara glanced at the monitors, the Joker’s cruel, twisted smile stared back. “Should we call Director Lane?”

“No, ma’am. The Joker is a threat, but he’s not an alien one. I’ll make her aware in the morning.”

Kara nodded, glancing at the time. Cat should be asleep by now, and Kara decided she’d take the scenic route by her penthouse to make sure she’d gotten in safely. She’d seen Cat to her car where they’d share one last meaningful look before saying goodnight. Kara couldn’t help but wonder how the night might have ended differently without the Joker’s rather rude interruption.

“Any word from Agent Danvers, ma’am?” Vasquez asked matter of fact.

Supergirl appreciated the agent’s loyalty to her sister. “I’m afraid not. And you don’t have to call me ma’am.”

Vasquez grinned, proud, and Kara snorted faintly, putting her hand down on the woman’s shoulder and squeezing it in gratitude. Maybe it was time to invite the agent to game night.

“I’ll keep my eyes open for everything you find on this… clown.” Kara spared one last look at the Joker’s ghoulish features, trying to suppress a shiver.

“I hate clowns,” Vasquez added under her breath.

“Stuff of nightmares,” Supergirl agreed.

“Damn right.”

****

The morning air was pleasantly cool and Cat breathed it in, her thoughts clearing a little at the uncharacteristic chill and her initial sip of coffee. The first rays of dawn were spilling across her penthouse balcony as she settled in a comfortable chair, ignoring the slight dampness of it from the previous night’s rain.

Around her, National City was quiet, almost hushed. The city seemed to be waiting for something, expectation heavy in the air, but Cat doubted the denizens in the floors below or the streets beyond had any idea what fresh hell was about to befall them.

The Joker was in National City.

Cat took another sip of her coffee, trying to chase off the cold fear that gripped her when she thought of his face, of that haunting laugh. She’d faced him before and won, but the encounter had scarred her, both mentally and physically. Hearing that laugh dredged those memories up, churned them to the surface at a time when all she wanted to think about was kissing Kara, about kissing her again and more.

It was bad enough that maniac had darkened their proverbial doorway, but to know he’d come straight for Supergirl made her sick. He was toying with someone she loved, eager to inflict his particular brand of cruelty on the younger woman. Kara might be nearly invincible physically, but her humanity was a gaping vulnerability the Joker would delight in exploiting. Cat ached at the thought of him hurting her, ached for all the innocents he would use as his pawns in a game Kara would unwillingly have to play.

“Mom?”

Cat turned her head, forcing a smile on her lips as Carter slid the door to the balcony open. “Morning, sweetheart.”

“Everything okay?” He frowned as he rubbed sleep from one eye. He’d grown in the last few months, a spurt that had her nearly looking up at him now rather than the other way around.

“Couldn’t sleep,” she confessed. Cat watched with a soft smile as he shuffled outside. He was growing up so fast, and Cat wasn’t sure what she’d do when he had to start shaving. It felt like yesterday that she’d tucked his Superman pajamas away for the last time.

“How was the sanctuary?” Carter yawned into his fist and sat on the arm of the chair next to her.

“You’re going to love it,” Cat promised, running her coffee warmed hand down his back. “I’ll take you the first day it opens.”

“I saw the news. You didn’t tell me Supergirl was coming.” His tone was faintly accusing.

“You stayed up to watch the news?” Cat elevated one eyebrow at him in mild rebuke. 

“I wanted to see what it looked like.” Carter yawned again. “She looked really pretty. All those little girls were so happy.”

Apparently her mother was the only member of the Grant family not completely smitten with Kara. “She was very pretty,” Cat allowed. “And I didn’t tell you because I didn’t know. She… surprised me.” Boy did she ever.

“You got to hang out with her?” Now Carter’s features turned down in a pout and Cat chuckled sympathetically.

“I did. We spent most of the evening together. She… she likes the penguins almost as much as you do.” Cat took another sip of coffee, hiding a smile.

“So not fair.”

“We didn’t get to everything. Perhaps she can go with us when we check it out together.”

“Really?”

He sounded so hopeful Cat knew she would cajole Supergirl in every way necessary to get her to agree to the excursion. “I can’t promise anything, but I’ll ask.”

“That would be so cool.”

Cat patted his knee. “Now, go get ready for school. I’ll fix you some breakfast.”

He kissed her temple and complied, a little more spring in his step.

Tapping her fingernails on her mug, Cat listened as the city slowly came alive, as if Carter’s presence had jump started the day. As tired as she was, as unnerved as she was by the Joker’s presence, the thought of spending time with both her son and Supergirl was a pleasing one, and she began to contrive a plan to make it happen.

But maybe they could spend a little time together as a family with Kara Danvers first.

****

Sleep was as elusive as answers. Kara sighed, watching the sun creeping across her ceiling as she lay alone in bed. Dust motes floated lazily in the air and Kara stared at them, transfixed, as her mind spun with everything the last twenty-four hours had wrought. She should be thinking about the Joker, about his plans for National City, but Kara couldn’t stop thinking about Cat.

She’d kissed Cat freaking Grant.

Kara’s body flushed with the memory of Cat’s mouth, of the way she’d tasted, of that soft, breathless moan as Kara had pressed against her, hungry for more. Kara groaned before grabbing a pillow and pressing it over her face. She would have given anything to wallow in what she was feeling, to savor the sweet distraction and giddiness, but she needed to think. Non was still out there, and now they had the Joker to worry about. 

Sighing, Kara tossed off the covers and stood, walking to the window and opening it to let the sunlight pour in. She stood there a moment, her skin soaking up the rays, recharging her reserves. 

A soft knock at the front door drew Kara out of warm thoughts of hazel eyes and golden hair. She glanced at the time before grabbing a light robe and tossing it on over her t-shirt and sweatpants. A quick peek with her x-ray vision revealed it was Lucy, and Kara frowned, wondering what she’d done to receive such an early, in-person visit from the DEO.

Padding barefoot to the door, she threw back the deadbolts and opened it, her senses perking up as the smell of pastries greeted her. “Are those donuts?”

“Morning to you, too,” Lucy drawled as she handed Kara a weighty pink box. “Save me one of those at least.”

“You are so my favorite person right now.” Kara shut the door behind her before moving into the kitchen and setting the box on the island. “Coffee?”

“Please.”

Kara snipped the string around the box and pulled out a cruller, beyond excited to see at least a dozen different options inside. The day was starting to look up. She stuffed the pastry in her mouth and began prepping the coffee maker.

“Vasquez briefed me this morning.” Lucy sat at the island, rooting around in the box for something chocolate covered.

Kara nodded as she chewed. “Didn’t seem like any reason to call you in last night. Wasn’t much to go on.” The scent of coffee began to waft through the apartment and Kara breathed it in gratefully. Caffeine didn’t affect her, but the smell perked up her senses.

“You okay? I lived in Metropolis my whole life. I know a thing or two about this lunatic.”

“Took my ears a while to stop ringing, but I’m fine. Cat says he pretty much sticks to Gotham City, but she knew enough about him to be worried.” Scared, actually, but Kara wasn’t going to tell Lucy that. 

“He does, but he wandered our way a few times. Made life hard for Superman, and despite my estrangement from Lois, I didn’t much appreciate him messing with her, either.” Lucy sighed. “I don’t like that he’s here… that his first step was to come straight at you.”

Kara shrugged before she sucked a fleck of glaze off her thumb. “At least we aren’t going to be blindsided.”

“Let’s hope not. We’ve got extra patrols, more agents in plainclothes on the streets. The Joker is obviously planning something. With any luck, maybe we can stop him before that happens.”

“You sure you want to devote resources to this guy? He’s not an alien, and we’ve still got Non to worry about.” Having finished her first one, Kara plucked another donut out of the box and took a bite.

“We can spare the manpower. It’s not like Non has been all that active lately.”

“That reprieve won’t last.”

Lucy was quiet as she watched Kara brush off her hands on her sweatpants before fetching two mugs from the cupboard. “I saw the news last night.”

“Yeah?” Kara asked with polite interest as she poured a cup of coffee and handed it to the other woman. She nudged the sugar bowl in Lucy’s direction before scooping up her second donut again and finishing it off. “There’s half and half in the fridge if you want it.”

“Black is fine.” Lucy wrapped her hands around the mug, warming them. “You were the top story.”

Kara went still before glancing worriedly at Lucy. “What… was I doing?”

A small, cute little smirk graced Lucy’s lips, and Kara swallowed nervously.

“Was there anything you did last night that was newsworthy? Something the press might have seized on?”

“Um…” Panic rose up in Kara’s stomach like a tidal wave and she set her mug back on the counter, her hands shaking a little too much to hold it. “There was no one around. I listened…”

Lucy’s brow furrowed.

“I mean… I was distracted,” Kara admitted. “Obviously. But… Oh my God, there’s video? Did we get caught on a security camera? Cat is gonna kill me!”

Kara ran to her cell phone, searching through the news stories.

Lucy cleared her throat. “I’m talking about the Girl Scouts. What are you talking about?”

“Um…” Kara said again, finding a photo of herself from the event surrounded by the young girls and not a shot of Supergirl kissing Cat Grant as she’d feared. Her knees wobbled in relief and she sat on the arm of the sofa.

“That was good PR for you and those kids were adorable.” Lucy shifted in her seat, eyeing Kara with suspicion now. “What did you think I meant?”

“Nothing!” Kara said quickly. “I mean… nothing.” Kara rolled her eyes at her own lame response.

“Uh-huh. So why would Cat Grant want to kill you over nothing?”

Kara thought about lying, but she was so giddy she had to tell someone. “I… may have... kissed Cat last night,” she admitted.

Lucy blinked. Blinked again. “You what?”

“It was just a kiss,” Kara insisted. “Okay… maybe it was two… or technically three…” She tucked her hair behind her ears.

“You…” Lucy shook her head. After a moment, she began rooting around in her purse before pulling out a small notebook and pen. “All right. I need you to tell me exactly what happened. For the record.” She began jotting notes as Kara watched, confused.

“The record?” Kara stood up slowly. “Lucy…”

“I need to know a few things,” Lucy said seriously. “Was this an official date? Was there hand holding? Did you go back to her place?”

Kara’s brow furrowed as she shook her head again, drawing closer, trying to see what Lucy was writing.

“Is Cat Grant a good kisser?” Lucy looked up, pen poised, with the best poker face Kara had ever seen.

“Funny. Very funny.”

Lucy’s face relaxed into a grin. “Come on. I had you going.”

“I will never trust you again.”

Laughing lightly, Lucy set her pen down and closed her notebook before she scooted the donuts toward her friend again as a peace offering. “Couldn’t resist.”

“Like you even tried.” But Kara took one of the donuts, a begrudging grin on her features. 

“Have you told her?” Lucy asked carefully. “Because that is something I would need to put on the record.”

The question caused Kara’s smile to fade as she shook her head. “I’m scared to.”

“Because you and J’onn tricked her?”

“Because we tricked her. Because she thought I should be Supergirl all the time instead of Kara Danvers at all. Because maybe she only wants Supergirl and not me.” The last was her biggest fear, and Kara was surprised she’d voiced it out loud.

“Kara.” Lucy reached across the island and gripped her hand, squeezing lightly. “I don’t believe that.”

“I’m boring. A glorified gopher that fetches coffee and layouts. Cat… Cat kissed Supergirl. How do I compete with that?”

“You know you are both the gopher and the superhero featured in this equation, right?”

“I know. But I’m different when I’m… her.” Kara waved at the sky beyond her windows. “What if she’s what Cat wants? What if Kara Danvers isn’t good enough?”

“There’s only one way to find out.”

“I know.” Kara finished off her donut, her earlier good mood vanishing the more she gave attention to fears she’d been pushing to the back of her mind. 

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she already knows,” Lucy said slowly before taking another sip of coffee. “Cat is a brilliant woman, and after J’onn had to reveal himself, I’d be more surprised if she didn’t put two and two together.”

Kara considered that, a flicker of hope igniting in her chest. “Then why hasn’t she said anything?”

“Because she called you out once and that didn’t go so well. Maybe this time she wants it to come from you. Maybe she needs to know you trust her enough.”

Grabbing another donut out of the box, Kara pondered on that thought, both worried and hopeful her friend might be right.

****

The elevator doors parted and Cat lingered inside for a moment, waiting to see if Kara would materialize at this early hour. Sometimes, Cat worried the girl slept somewhere in the damn building, that she’d find her tucked away in an empty office in a hammock.

When no one crossed her line of sight, Cat stepped out, adjusting the small shopping bag she’d brought with her. A few early risers greeted her as she emerged, but no one seemed especially startled to see her in the office at this hour.

Cat lingered by Kara’s desk, waiting until the handful of employees seemed distracted before she plucked the wilting flowers out of Kara’s small vase and tossed them in the trash. Kara loved flowers, making sure Cat often had fresh ones in her office even though she never asked for them. It was time to return the favor.

Setting her shopping bag on Kara’s desk, Cat pulled out the small bouquet of exotic blooms, their scent floral and spicy as she arranged them carefully in Kara’s vase. They had been outrageously expensive, but Cat hadn’t batted an eye at the price. The prettiest flowers in the shop, Cat had to have them. Kara deserved the best, and it was past time Cat started making sure she got it.

If there was any doubt that she was getting in deep, the flowers erased them. Cat pursed her lips as her thumb and forefinger toyed with the edge of one of the blooms. She’d never done this before, bought something for someone on a whim just because she knew they would enjoy it. Of course, Carter was the exception, but no one had ever inspired this kind of romantic gesture from her before. No one had ever inspired her to _be_ romantic before. Cat didn’t know if that made her previous relationships sad or if it just meant Kara was that different, that special, that _worthy_.

No one seemed to think it was suspicious for her to be loitering by her assistant’s desk. Cat wasn’t sure what to make of that as she turned and wandered into her office. She stopped halfway, glancing over her shoulder, expecting gazes to skitter away, but no one was paying her the slightest bit of attention. It was what she wanted, but Cat found it annoying. 

With a shake of her head, she turned back toward her desk, only to pull up short.

Sitting in her chair was a small, stuffed animal. A fluffy, adorable penguin to be precise. It even sported a dapper bowtie.

A smile spread across Cat’s features before she could contain it. Cat picked it up, the fur startling soft, and brought it to her nose, breathing in Kara’s distinct scent. She wasn’t sure what in the hell she was supposed to do with a stuffed animal at this stage of her life, but she found herself strangely enamored with the gift and the significance behind it. It was a simple but romantic gesture, and Cat had to admit it had done the trick. She hoped the flowers would make Kara feel like she did at the moment.

There was a card, of course, and Cat read it as shy pleasure stole through her. 

_Thank you for a magical night. Looking forward to Friday._

_S_

Cat took a deep breath. She was falling wretchedly in love with this woman, and every day Kara did something to make it beautifully worse. 

With a smirk, Cat set the penguin on the credenza behind her desk, making sure it had a place of pride where anyone walking into her office would see it and likely think she’d lost her mind, which, Cat supposed, wasn’t that far off the mark really. She looked forward to Kara’s reaction. She looked forward to seeing Kara, period. 

They needed to talk and soon. Kara couldn’t be allowed to keep up the charade any longer. It was one of the reasons Cat had decided on the flowers on her way to work, to nudge the younger woman out of her comfort zone and make her think a little more clearly about what they were doing, about the inevitable conclusion they were hurtling toward. Cat wanted more than Supergirl, but so far, Supergirl was all Kara had been willing to give in return.

She understood there were things about Kara’s life she was probably clueless about, concerns Kara had to weigh to protect not only herself and her loved ones but probably even Cat as well. But the situation was becoming untenable. Cat was starting to feel like she was in varying levels of a relationship with two different women, and a small, insecure part of her mind wondered if that might actually be the case. There was still the tiniest sliver of doubt that maybe Kara wasn’t actually Supergirl, but if she wasn’t, then Cat had even bigger problems to deal with. 

Sighing, Cat settled into her chair, shifting her focus to the tasks at hand as she tucked Kara’s card into her desk drawer for safekeeping. 

“Kelly?” Cat called out when she saw one of her assignment editors breeze by. The woman had been with her long enough that Cat had never thought to call her by a different name.

The redhead came closer, stopping just outside Cat’s door. Her gaze landed on the penguin, causing her brows to furrow slightly. “Yes, Ms. Grant?” 

“I need everyone you have available to research someone for me.”

“Of course,” Kelly said with some confusion.

“I need everything you can find on a Gotham City criminal called the Joker.”

****

Kara stopped in her tracks, Cat’s latte warming her palm as she stared at the bouquet of flowers on her desk. They were gorgeous, a brilliant splash of color against the white and glass of her workspace. Kara approached them slowly before glancing around to see if she was the only recipient of such a gift. Everyone else’s desks looked plain in comparison.

“Somebody’s got a secret admirer,” Winn said as she breathed in the scent of one of the more exotic blooms, her fingers carefully tracing the deep red petals. 

“I…” Kara shook her head, nudging her glasses closer to her eyes as she turned to face him.

“Who’s the lucky guy?”

There was no card, but Kara didn’t need one. She turned her head, spying Cat already in her office and her whole body flushed with warmth. The flowers would have easily cost Kara two weeks pay and the style - expensive, beautiful, and elegant - was all Cat.

“Who says they’re from a guy?” Kara answered, distracted.

Cat sat at her desk, glasses perched on the end of her nose as she typed on her laptop. Kara got the distinct impression Cat wasn’t actually writing anything, only pretending to, and Kara smiled bashfully at the idea the older woman had been watching her for her reaction.

Biting her lip, Kara entered, latte in hand, trying to decide what to say about the flowers, if she should say anything at all. She went still when she spied the penguin sitting on Cat’s credenza. It had been an impulse buy before she’d left for the DEO, the creature too adorable to pass up.

When she had the presence of mind to jerk her gaze back on Cat, the older woman was already watching her.

“M...morning, Ms. Grant.” Kara savored the jolt of heat in her stomach as their eyes met. 

“Keira,” Cat drawled, enunciating the name more than usual. 

Kara handed her the latte and their fingers brushed, lingering for a moment. “Cute,” she said, pointing to the penguin. “Although he clashes with your decor.”

Cat smirked faintly. “A gift from my plus-one last night.”

“That’s from Supergirl?” Kara played along, ignoring a pang of guilt. The closer she got to Cat, the more she hated playing this game.

“Hmm.” Cat leaned back in her chair, slipping her glasses off. “You gave her the invitation?”

Smiling tightly, Kara nodded.

“Thank you, for coming to my rescue,” Cat said sincerely. “I had a very… very nice time.”

“That’s… that’s good,” Kara stuttered at the slow sensual smile that shaped Cat’s lips. She could still remember what they tasted like. How soft they’d been. “You’re in early.”

“It happens.”

Rarely, Kara almost said but didn’t. “Um… thank you,” she said, too curious about Cat’s reaction to stay quiet. “For the flowers.”

Cat paused, looking pleased with her powers of deduction. “And what makes you think they’re from me?”

“I don’t know anyone else who has such beautiful taste.” 

“Yes, well.” Cat cleared her throat, blushing slightly at the sincere compliment. “You saved me from the hell that was my mother last night. Consider it a reward for good work.”

Kara didn’t buy the excuse, even if it was entirely plausible. Cat had bought her flowers, had gone out of her way to get them after spending the evening with Supergirl. Kara’s stomach flipped at the realization. Maybe Lucy was right. Maybe Cat saw more of her than she realized.

As Kara stared at her boss, Cat stared back, secrets thick in the air between them. Kara’s heart began to pound and she could hear Cat’s keeping time.

“Cat…” Kara whispered, watching Cat’s hazel eyes widen almost imperceptibly. “Do you…” 

“Here you are, Ms. Grant,” Kelly said as she entered Cat’s office, breaking the spell. “Morning, Kara.” 

“Morning, Kelly.” Kara stepped back, adjusting her glasses, as Kelly handed a tablet to Cat. A mix of relief and disappointment swirled through her at the interruption. 

“That’s everything we have so far on the Joker. There’s more where that came from, though. I figured you would want to get started.”

Kara drew in a sharp breath.

“Yes. Thank you,” Cat said in a subdued voice, refusing to look at Kara now as she began to peruse the information.

Kelly recognized the dismissal for what it was and left the room, leaving Kara and Cat in an uneasy pool of silence.

“The Joker?” Kara asked slowly. 

Cat kept her head down. “Apparently the Clown Prince of Crime is in National City. Lucky us. If nothing else, he’ll sell more papers.”

“Is it a good idea to be investigating someone like that, Ms. Grant?” 

Cat tapped her chin with a pen as she read. “You forget, Keira, I’m from Metropolis. I’ve had run-ins with the Joker before.”

“I’m sure Supergirl can handle him. You have an empire to run.”

Lazily, Cat set the tablet on her desk and glanced up at Kara, a challenge clear in every line of her body. “Supergirl doesn’t know him like I do. She needs all the help she can get.” Cat’s tone was arch, pointed, seeming to dare Kara to confront her.

Deliberately, Kara stepped closer, stopping just shy of Cat’s desk. “Why are you doing this? You don’t need to paint a target on your back, on CatCo’s back.”

“I can handle the Joker. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again,” Cat vowed and Kara wondered if she was trying to convince her or herself. “Now if you’re through questioning my judgment, I have some reading to do.”

Kara flinched. “Ms. Grant…” 

“Keira, I think you have enough on your plate to worry about right now… don’t you?” Cat slipped her glasses back on before picking the tablet up again.

Kara’s fists clenched at her sides. “Thanks for the flowers,” she ground out, pivoting on her heel and leaving the room before she said something she might regret.

“Thanks for the penguin,” Cat murmured under her breath.

Kara returned to her desk, shooting Cat one last exasperated look through the glass before she retrieved her phone, relieved to find Vasquez’s file on the Joker in her inbox. She dove in, determined to stop him before anyone, including Cat Grant, got the chance.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The whole backstory between Cat and the Joker is made up by me in case you're a comic fan and wondered where in the heck I came up with that. ;)
> 
> Sorry for the delay between chapters. I've been traveling quite a bit. The next chapter should be out in a week or so.
> 
> Hope you like this one!

The heatwave that had gripped National City for the last six days had finally broken. Kara stepped out onto the employee balcony, taking in several lungfuls of the cooler air to calm her nauseous stomach. She’d left her phone and the file on the Joker behind on her desk, needing to put some distance between her and what she’d learned.

Now she understood the look in everyone’s eyes when they said his name. He was terrifying. Remorseless. He tortured and killed innocent people for fun. 

And he’d come after Cat.

Kara had known Cat was brave, she’d seen the woman face her fears dozens of times, but for her to go after the Joker after what he did to her…

Concentrating, Kara closed her eyes and listened, filtering out the sounds of the city, reporters manning the phones, the hum of CatCo’s computers, until all she could hear was Cat’s steady heart beat. It gave her comfort, reminded her that Cat had triumphed over the Joker’s attack on her life back in Metropolis. He’d nearly taken Cat from her before they’d ever even met.

Cat had gotten too close. Had done what she was so very good at and exposed corruption in the Metropolis police department. She’d called out every cop on the Joker’s payroll, and for once, he had not been amused.

A jack-in-the-box delivered to Cat’s apartment. A bomb inside powerful enough to level the whole floor. Shrapnel, in the form of razor tipped playing cards, packed inside.

Thank Rao for Kal-El. Superman had saved Cat at the last possible second, but she’d still been wounded in the blast, impaled in the stomach by one of those vicious playing cards. She’d almost died.

Beneath Kara’s hands, small chunks of the CatCo balcony crumbled. The Joker wouldn’t get a second chance. She’d kill him before she let him hurt Cat again.

Stepping back, Kara took another deep breath, trying to tamp down the rage that seemed to lurk just beneath the surface of her psyche lately. It unsettled her, how close it was, how easily she could let it consume her. 

She had to stop Cat. If she didn’t, if the Joker succeeded where he’d once failed, Kara knew she would come untethered. She would lose her way, was already tempted to simply hunt the man down and destroy him.

“Kara?”

Lost in her thoughts, Kara started at the sound of James’ voice.

“You okay?” he asked, stepping cautiously out onto the balcony.

Swallowing, she drew in a shaky breath, troubled by her darker thoughts. “No,” she admitted softly. 

“Is it Alex?”

Kara shook her, dredging a weak smile from reserves she didn’t know she had. “No,” she said again. “It’s.. the Joker is in National City.”

James straightened, his concern morphing to understanding. “You heard what he did to Cat back in the day?”

A jerky nod was her only response. 

“She used her connections to bury the story, but it’s the stuff of legend at the Daily Planet.”

“Cat’s going after him again.”

Quiet a moment, James drew closer. “That explains the balcony,” he said dryly. “I know you don’t like it, but it’s who she is, it’s what she does. It’s in her blood.”

Cat’s conviction, her stubbornness, could be exasperating traits, but Kara often found them equally appealing, just not today. “He’ll come after her again. And what if I’m not there? What if I’m fighting Non or some other alien and he comes for her, James?”

“Cat’s willing to take that risk.”

“I’m not.” Kara’s voice was edged with steel. She’d only acknowledged her feelings for the older woman a few days ago, but the thought of losing Cat threatened to break her into a million pieces. 

“Kara, what are you going to do? Lock her up in the Fortress of Solitude?”

“If that’s what it takes.”

James gripped her shoulders. “I know you care about Cat,” he said gently, sounding like he was talking about someone on the edges of her life rather than the woman who was quickly becoming the center of everything. “But she needs to do this. Not only to stop the Joker but to know that she can stand up to him even after what he did. Can you imagine living every day with him still out there, knowing he could come for her again if he wanted?”

“Not helping, James.”

He pursed his lips. “For what it’s worth, I’ll stick by her, make sure she’s safe. I can tap the watch if anyone makes a move.”

Kara stared at the watch in question, an idea forming. “Clark barely saved her the last time.”

“You’re faster than he is.”

Kara snorted weakly at that and James squeezed her shoulders again.

“Why don’t we go to lunch? We can talk it out. Honestly, we have a few other things to talk about as well.”

They hadn’t done much of that since the Red K incident, Kara acknowledged. James had wanted time and space to gain some perspective and she’d honored that. That time and space, however, had given Kara some perspective of her own. Once, his invitation would have thrilled her, would have had her floating on cloud nine, but today the thought was strangely intimidating. It hurt to feel what had been between them dying, but recent events made her realize she had to let those feelings go. They were better as friends. “James, I...”

_Keira!_

“Crap. Cat is calling me. I… give me a minute.” Kara rushed off without giving him an answer.

****

“Yes, Ms. Grant?” Kara hurried into Cat’s office, wiping concrete dust from her hands as surreptitiously as possible.

“Sorry to interrupt your social life, but I require your presence,” Cat said archly.

Kara frowned, following Cat’s line of sight over her shoulder. James had followed and was lingering at her desk, studying her flowers with a frown. She shook her head minutely and he nodded before reluctantly walking away. Kara was relieved to see him go, even though she was putting off the inevitable. “What can I do for you, Ms. Grant?”

Cat watched James leave. “My son only has a half day of school today. I’m meeting him for lunch.”

“Oh.” Kara’s features warmed involuntarily at the mention of Carter. “Of course. I’ll rearrange your schedule for the early afternoon…”

“Already done,” Cat said dismissively as she stood, scooping up her purse and slinging it over her shoulder.

Blinking in surprise, Kara was tempted to check Cat’s calendar to be sure. Cat couldn’t schedule a haircut without going through her first. “Um…”

“I cleared yours as well.”

“My… mine?” Kara stuttered. “Why… why would…?”

“Carter wants to see you, and you have a rapport with him that puts him at ease so I’ll allow it.”

“Are you… are you inviting me to lunch with your son, Ms. Grant?” Kara couldn’t keep the confusion out of her voice, but she was cautiously excited and more than a little suspicious. She adored Carter, and as much as she was frustrated and frightened by Cat’s determination to pursue the Joker, the thought of spending time with mother and son was too tempting to resist, even if she wasn’t sure what Cat was really up to.

Cat looked like she was about to deliver a cutting reply but decided against it. “If you don’t have other plans.” She glanced pointedly out at the bullpen where James was conspicuously loitering.

Swallowing, Kara shook her head. “Not really, no. I’d… I’d love to… see Carter,” she tacked on quickly at the last moment. She would apologize to James later.

“Very well. He’s waiting in the car.”

Kara nodded and hurried to fetch her phone and purse. Cat passed her on the way to her private elevator, and Kara got a lungful of her perfume, taking a moment to simply breathe her in. Rao she smelled good. “I’ll meet you in the…” Kara paused as Cat crooked a finger at her from inside the elevator. The simple gesture caused a complicated reaction, ending with Kara’s knees more than a little weak and her heart about thunder out of her chest.

Joining Cat cautiously inside, Kara offered James a helpless shrug as the doors closed.

****

“Mr. Olsen didn’t seem very happy.” Strangely, Cat sounded almost gleeful at the fact.

“He... wanted to talk,” Kara admitted.

“He’s finally coming around is he?”

Kara’s brow furrowed, certain she detected a hint of something darker in Cat’s tone now. “Coming around?”

“You two have been oddly distant lately, ever since Lucy resigned in fact. Am I to assume a reconciliation is underway?”

Breathing in slowly, Kara finally turned to look at the older woman. First flowers, then an invitation to lunch, and now questions about her love life. If Cat wasn’t starting to suspect she was Supergirl, again, then something very weird was going on. “No,” Kara said quietly as the floors sped by, wanting Cat to know where her heart was regardless of why she was asking. “There’s nothing to reconcile.”

“Come now, Keira. You and James have been dancing around each other ever since he arrived in National City. I saw the way he was looking at you.”

“Why do you care?” Kara asked, neatly flipping the tables and watching in satisfaction as Cat stiffened at the question.

“I think I should know if my assistant is hooking up with my top photojournalist,” Cat sniffed haughtily but her gaze no longer held Kara’s.

“James and I have never ‘hooked up.’ We’ve never even kissed.”

A few more floors passed in awkward silence. 

“I think he’d like to modify that arrangement,” Cat said softly.

Kara swallowed, suspecting Cat was right. “Then he’s going to be disappointed.” She stared at Cat until the other woman looked at her again, willing her to see that the only one Kara wanted was her.

The doors parted and Cat motioned for Kara to step out first. Her town car waited close by and as they emerged, Carter climbed out of the back seat, his face lighting up at the sight of Kara.

“Hey, Carter!” Kara greeted affectionately as he bounded up to her and gave her a quick hug.

“Are you coming to lunch with us?” he asked excitedly.

“Looks like.”

“Awesome!” 

He hurried back to the car, holding the door for both of them, and Kara realized she was going to have sit by Cat for the duration of the ride. Not that she minded, but it was harder to enjoy the closeness with the underlying tension running between them.

Carter slipped inside and closed the door, babbling happily to Kara about school and his upcoming science trip as the car pulled away. Cat barely said a word, but when Kara finally risked a peek at her boss, she was startled to see Cat was smiling at them both, a sweet, approving grin that made Kara warm all over.

****

At least the complication that was James Olsen had been resolved. Mostly. Cat suspected Kara had a tough conversation with the photojournalist in her near future, and as much as she empathized, she was relieved to know one was coming. That relationship had been bothering her more than Cat wanted to admit. Sharing Supergirl with all of National City was one thing, sharing Kara Danvers with anyone else was quite another.

Taking a sip of her martini, Cat watched as her son and Kara chatted easily. Their rapport was warm and affectionate, and she marveled at how quickly Kara had managed to gain Carter’s implicit trust. Of course, Kara had proven rather adept at doing the same to Cat. Maybe it was an alien thing.

Like Olsen, it was another obstacle checked off Cat’s list. It had been a very long time since she’d considered a serious relationship with anyone, since she’d wanted a relationship with anyone, and if she were going to let someone into every facet of her life, they would have to love and accept Carter first and foremost. With Kara, she’d found that and more. Carter absolutely adored the younger woman and she seemed equally smitten.

Only two obstacles remained: the difference in their ages, and that pesky detail that her assistant happened to be Supergirl.

One of them she could do nothing about, but the more time they spent together, the less of an issue it became. When and if they went public, people would talk, but they were bound to do that regardless. Cat was used to being tabloid fodder, but she would need to prepare Kara for the muck they’d have to wade through at the bottom of the journalism barrel.

That left Supergirl and Kara’s stubborn insistence on pretending she was anything but.

There had been a moment that morning when Cat thought that secret was about to come to an end, but clearly she still had more work to do. Part of her was annoyed, but the rest of her relished the challenge.

“Can I get a cookie for dessert?” Carter asked her suddenly. 

Cat frowned and lifted one eyebrow. They had rules about processed sugar. Just because she broke them on a daily basis didn’t mean Carter could.

“They have really good M&M cookies,” Kara added casually, using her awareness of Cat’s chocolate habit against her.

“I think I’m being ganged up on.” Cat enjoyed Kara’s busted, but unrepentant smile. “Fine. Only one.” She wondered if it made her a bad mother that she’d only agreed to see Kara smile again.

“For each of us,” Kara added with a wink.

Carter took the charge card his mother gave him and headed to the pastry case with a laugh.

“You’re very good with him.”

Kara hesitantly faced her. Cat could tell she was still upset with her about her investigation into the Joker, but Kara was doing the mature thing and shelving the topic for now for Carter’s sake. “He’s an amazing kid, Ms. Grant.”

“Do you think you’ll want children someday?”

Blinking at the unexpectedly personal question, Kara took an uneven breath. “I… I’m not sure that’s in the cards for me,” she said softly, but the admission seemed painful as her gaze cut to Carter and lingered.

“Well then, perhaps I’ll loan you mine from time to time.”

A hesitant smile eased over Kara’s lips before she shot Cat a shy glance. “You’d trust me alone with him? After what happened last time?”

“You said it yourself. He couldn’t be any safer with Supergirl.”

Their gazes fenced for a long moment, but Kara looked away first as Carter returned, handing her a cookie before offering one to his mother. He’d already eaten half of his.

“Thanks, Carter,” Kara said, sounding like her gratitude encompassed more than just the dessert. She reached over and gently tousled his curls and Cat was surprised he let her without jerking away. “So,” Kara began after polishing off her first bite. “You dating anyone?” she teased him.

“I’d date Supergirl, but I’m too young.”

Cat choked on a sip of her martini, the alcohol burning her nose and throat. Kara glanced back at her with alarm, but Cat waved her off, trading her martini glass for the full glass of water still sitting by her plate.

“Anybody at school catch your eye?” Kara asked, but her cheeks had gone delightfully pink.

Carter looked guiltily at his mother. “There’s this girl… in my English class.”

“What girl?” Cat blurted, only to barely stifle a gasp as Kara’s hand gently rested on her knee under the table in silent warning.

“Her name is Charlotte. She’s… she’s pretty.” Carter winced when he found his mother staring at him owlishly. “But she’s really smart, too,” he added quickly, “and she likes comics and videogames. She’s cool.”

“Sounds like it.” Kara grinned.

“And she thinks Supergirl is awesome, too.”

“Well,” Cat said, swallowing her pride that she’d missed this development right under her nose. “At least she has good taste.”

Kara glanced at her again, but Cat noticed that the younger woman’s hand still rested on her knee. She cursed her decision to wear a pantsuit today.

“When do I get to meet this young woman?” Cat knew full well her son would panic at the thought. She wasn’t disappointed.

Carter shot Kara a stricken look and she bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Don’t worry, Carter. I’m sure your mom would be on her best behavior if you brought Charlotte around. Right, Ms. Grant?”

“Hmm.” Cat pretended to think about it.

“I haven’t actually asked her out. I…I don’t know how.”

“Your mom could help with that. She has a way with words.” Kara seemed to realize where her hand was and she tried to jerk it away as subtly as possible which wasn’t very subtle at all.

“Y…Yeah?” He looked at Cat with those beautiful eyes and she melted so easily it was disgusting. Between her son and Kara, she could be in for a world of trouble if they realized the power they had over her.

“I suppose I could help you whip up something....” Cat feigned an air of hardship and Kara rolled her eyes. 

“And maybe she could help you pick out some flowers. She has beautiful taste.”

Cat eyed Kara now, but the younger woman was deliberately avoiding eye contact while nibbling on her cookie. Cat huffed in amusement. “Imp,” she murmured, please when she saw the touch of pink in Kara’s cheeks deepen to a darker red.

“Thanks, mom,” Carter said shyly, clearly puzzled by Kara’s blush. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, yet, but I really think you’ll like her.”

“If you like her, that’s enough for me.” Cat didn’t bother to tell Carter there would be extensive background checks on every girl named Charlotte in his school by the end of the day. The way Kara smiled at her in approval, however, suggested her assistant was already mentally adding that task to her calendar.

****

“Thank you,” Cat said quietly as they rode side by side in her elevator a few hours later. “Carter enjoyed that.” And so had she, Cat wouldn’t admit. Their little mini “date” might have been a bit of a test, but Kara had passed with flying colors, as Cat had suspected she would.

“It was my pleasure, Ms. Grant. I always like spending time with Carter.”

Cat sighed as she watched the younger woman, perversely tempted to push Kara up against a wall and kiss her if only to get a reaction from her assistant. Ever since they’d dropped Carter off at the penthouse, Kara had been quiet, her attention focused almost exclusively on her phone. Cat didn’t like being given the cold shoulder, even when it was done in a way that was exceedingly polite.

“You know, don’t you? About the Joker? About what happened?” Cat guessed, resigned to Kara being aware of one of the darkest chapters of her past. “You put on a good game face for Carter, but you can’t hide from me.”

“Apparently it’s the stuff of legend at The Daily Planet.”

“Remind me to fire Mr. Olsen. For so many reasons,” Cat said half-heartedly. She met Kara’s gaze straight on. “I don’t expect you to understand.”

“What’s there to understand? You’re intentionally putting yourself in harm’s way. You want the Joker to come after you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Cat sniffed as the doors opened and they exited the elevator in tandem. Usually Kara fell in line behind her but not today. 

“Then why do this? Why provoke him?” 

Had anyone else challenged Cat this way she would have fired them. Kara was truly proving the exception to every rule. They walked into Cat’s office and Cat pulled her door to, at least offering them the illusion of privacy. “Do you really think I am so reckless as to want the Joker to come after me?” She pivoted on her heel to face Kara who crossed her arms and stood a little straighter. Classic Supergirl pose, Cat mused darkly.

“I think we make our worst decisions out of fear, Ms. Grant, and you have to be afraid. I’m afraid for you.”

Cat took a breath, hearing the depth of sincerity in Kara’s voice. It was a new experience, having someone besides Carter _care_ , and when Cat became uncomfortable her natural tendency was to deflect or disparage and this occasion was no different. “While I appreciate that, Keira, my decisions don’t affect you.”

“The hell they don’t,” Kara snapped and Cat tilted her head at the display of fire, moving closer in anticipation.

“Something you want to tell me… _Kara?”_

The building unexpectedly shuddered, the windows rattling ominously.

Cat frowned at the interruption. “Of for God’s sake, that better not be another earthquake.”

****

Kara yanked open the door and stepped out into the bullpen, Cat trailing close behind. The late afternoon sun was beginning to slant through the windows, bathing the office in brilliant hues of gold as the staff gathered on the far side of the room, staring through the glass at the streets below. Kara’s heart sank when she saw tendrils of smoke rising toward the sky in the distance.

Everyone parted to allow Cat access to the windows, subjects making way for their queen, and Kara took advantage, joining her. 

“Is that National City Bank?” Cat asked, drawing even with Winn.

He nodded slowly. “Gas line, maybe? That looks too big to be just a…” Winn trailed off as the smoke began to change color. “Is that purple?”

“The Joker,” Cat hissed.

A whine started to tickle Kara’s ears unpleasantly. Cat turned around and their eyes met, their argument all but forgotten as the older woman dipped her head once before turning back to the scene. Kara felt like she’d just but given permission, but for what she didn’t have time to think about.

Less than a minute later she’d changed and leapt toward the clear blue sky, putting on a burst of speed to reach the bank. Smoke continued to drift above the National City skyline, screams already loud in her ears.

Sun glinted off the skyscrapers as she descended, landing hard on a patch of grass near the bank as people scattered, the building now fully engulfed. Purple smoke spilled from the blown out windows, drifting over the streets in low, undulating waves.

 _There you are_ , the Joker’s voice sounded in her ears, but Kara barely winced, the signal strength too dispersed this time to cause much damage. _Ready to play?_

Taking a deep breath as the fire trucks began to arrive, Supergirl quickly extinguished the flames as she used her x-ray vision to search for survivors. 

There were none.

_Why stop here, Super Girlie?_

Straightening, Kara’s jaw clenched when he laughed. There was little she wouldn’t give in that moment to wipe that damn smile off his face. 

Quickly, she scanned the bystanders to make sure the oddly colored smoke was for show and nothing more sinister. Her research on the Clown Prince of Crime told her she had good reason to worry. Diabolical with chemicals, the Joker liked to turn his victims into grinning corpses. So far no one seemed adversely affected, but she knew that could change.

_Now that I have your attention, let’s have some more fun. Three bombs. Fifteen minutes. Better fly._

Fear, cold and sharp, lanced through her. With no choice but to play his lethal game, Kara shot skyward once more, unwilling to fail anyone else today. She tapped her earpiece. “Lucy?”

“I’m here. We’re tracking his communications now, monitoring that frequency.”

“I need everything you’ve got looking for those bombs. And check the air at the bank. I don’t like the looks of that smoke.”

“We’re already on it, ma’am,” Vasquez interjected. “We have a suspicious heat signature on the bridge…” 

“On my way.”

Supergirl rattled a few windows of her own, pushing her speed as fast as she dared go, scanning the buildings below for any sign of the Joker’s bombs. Nearly to CatCo, Kara pulled up hard as a sudden, terrifying thought struck her.

“Cat,” she breathed, changing course.

****


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. Short chapter but there's a longer one coming. :)

The fire alarm was already blaring, the claxon brutal on Kara’s ears, as she yanked open the door to the CatCo lobby. Nerves on edge and raw, she scanned the 40 floors above her, expecting to find fire and destruction, terrified of what she’d see when she zeroed in on Cat’s office, if her worse fears had already come true.

_Interesting choice, Supergirl. Wonder what brought you here first?_

Kara ignored the Joker, nearly shivering in relief when she found no signs of damage, no incendiary devices. Cat’s office sat empty as a steady stream of employees made their way down the stairwells as they evacuated. Kara finally spotted Cat near the 20th floor and felt a burst of pride that Cat had figured out the risk and made sure her employees would be safe. Cat had done her part, now Supergirl needed to do the rest. 

There was no way the Joker would skip CatCo. Certain of that fact, Kara turned her focus to the ground and the parking structures beneath, finally spotting what she was looking for at the bottom of Cat’s private elevator. Her breath hitched, fear and nausea crawling up her throat in equal measure.

_Maybe you just have a thing for... cats, hmm?_

Kara really, really wanted to punch him.

The first of the employees spilled out into the lobby as she pried open the doors and jumped three stories down the shaft. A jack-in-the-box sat waiting, sitting on the smiling, spraypainted countenance of the man Kara was quickly coming to despise. 

She x-rayed the device, noting the playing cards embedded inside. A chill skittered sickly down her spine as her darker emotions rushed to the surface at the sight.

Using her freeze breath until the box frosted and splintered, Supergirl took a step forward and brought her boot down on it, shattering it into thousands of little pieces with grim satisfaction. She tried not to think about what would have happened if the bomb had detonated. If Carter had been in the parking garage when it had gone off.

The Joker tsked. _Stomping on my toys. And I had that one especially made for the kitty..._

Kara thought she might throw up at his words, her hatred of him growing deeper. She looked up, finding a small camera attached to the wall monitoring her actions. A quirk burst of her heat vision destroyed it.

 _How rude._ He laughed.

Cat was waiting for her when she returned to the top of the elevator shaft. The shared a meaningful look before Cat reached out, laying her hand on Supergirl’s arm in quick, wordless comfort. They both needed the contact, steadying themselves in the middle of the tempest they were unwillingly caught in. The desire to linger, to make sure Cat was okay, was nearly overwhelming, but Supergirl didn’t have time and neither did the rest of the Joker’s targets.

“There’s two more bombs somewhere in the city,” Kara told her as James came jogging up, camera in hand, with Winn close behind. “Keep everyone inside until we know what was in that smoke.” She started to move but Cat’s hand clamped down hard, making her hesitate.

“The Joker lies,” Cat warned her. “If he says three, there’s four.”

Supergirl sucked down a sharp breath. “He said I have fifteen minutes.”

Cat’s lips tightened into a flat line and Kara swore softly before running off.

James looked down the shaft, shivering a little as the face of the Joker looked back. “Think she’ll make it in time?”

“She has to,” Cat answered quietly as she stared down the shaft as well, her features unreadable. “For her sake.”

****

“Supergirl?” Lucy said into the comms, watching on the security feed as Kara landed on the bridge, striding toward an access panel that had been spraypainted with a twisted, toothy grin. Cars smashed into each other left and right, a cacophony of screaming metal and screeching tires caused by people rubbernecking at the superhero in their midst. “There was nothing in the smoke but some kind of dye.”

“One less thing to worry about,” Kara growled as she ripped the whole panel off and flung it as hard as she could toward the heavens before chasing after it. When she’d reached the desired distance, she used her heat vision to destroy it. “Make sure James knows that the CatCo employees are in the clear.”

Lucy’s jaw tensed when she saw the resulting shockwave on their screens.

 _Well, well,_ the Joker’s voice piped through the speakers, creeping Lucy out to no end. Aliens were one thing, but the Joker was supposed to be human. She gave Lois credit for facing this lunatic as many times as she had. 

_Aren’t we the worthy playmate?_

“That would have taken the whole bridge down,” Vasquez murmured, ignoring the Joker’s running, one-sided commentary. She kept typing, fingers flying over her keyboard as she searched for another target.

“Cat thinks we’re dealing with four bombs, not three.” 

“If he holds to his time, you’ve got seven minutes,” Lucy warned her.

“He won’t stick to that. Vasquez, I need help.”

“Working on it, ma’am.”

“Supergirl, you’re pushing yourself too hard,” Lucy murmured, frowning when she saw Kara’s speed clocked on the monitors. The superhero was traversing nearly every street in National City so fast she was a blur of color and nothing more as she desperately tried to locate the remaining bombs. Knowing Kara was using other powers simultaneously had Lucy worried about a blow out.

Kara didn’t answer.

“The National City Animal Sanctuary,” Vasquez announced, finding the signature. 

“Got it.” Supergirl changed course.

“It’s not even open yet.” Lucy frowned before clicking off her comm. “It’s because he saw her there last night on the news. Son of a bitch. He’s making this personal. Find that last target,” Lucy ordered. “I want to spoil his fun.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Vasquez wholeheartedly agreed.

****

Cat settled back into her chair at her desk, swiveling to watch the images playing across her collage of monitors. Everywhere she looked there were shots of Supergirl as the city began to realize it was under attack, the Girl of Steel doing all she could to save them. National City would be grateful for their superhero again after this. The only silver lining. 

Reports were already rolling in from the bank. Six dead. Twenty wounded. If it hadn’t been for Kara, the hundreds of people outside Cat’s office and filling the floors below would have added to that grim total. The Joker had come for her again, and this time he’s been willing to kill everyone that worked for her to get his revenge. 

His attack knocked Cat back on her heels, forced her to look at the bigger picture. It was one thing to risk herself, quite another to risk those who depended on her making the right decisions on their behalf.

She’d ridden in that elevator three times today. Twice with Kara at her side. How long had that bomb been down there, waiting? Had it been ticking down when Carter was in the garage? 

Cat shivered, cold all over and nauseous at the prospect. She wouldn’t stop helping Kara defeat the Joker. She couldn’t abandon her now if she wanted to, but she had to be more careful, less reckless. Cat had promised to put Carter first when it came to her friendship with Supergirl, today reminded her why that promise was necessary. 

Kara had understood all of it. All of the risks she was taking. All of the potential fallout. Sometimes Cat forgot that Kara’s wisdom was forged in loss. Few could understand what was truly at stake the way she could.

“Ms. Grant?”

Cat turned to find James Olsen in her doorway, wearing a politely concerned expression that made her want to throw a paperweight at his face.

“James,” she drawled, menace in her voice. “Why are you here when you should be outside getting CatCo the next Pulitzer Prize winning shot?”

“I made a promise.”

Cat’s chin came up as she glanced at Kara’s empty desk. Despite her pique, warmth stole through her chest. “Supergirl.”

He nodded and Cat didn’t know whether to feel protected or angry. The situation was out of her control, and for a woman who was used to being in control of nearly everything, Cat hated it. Hated being at the mercy of something she couldn’t order around, or terminate on a whim. She was powerless, and James’ presence was a reminder of that.

But he was also a sign that Kara cared. That in the middle of the hell the afternoon had become, when Supergirl had an entire city to save, Kara was thinking of her, of keeping her safe.

That was the only thing that saved his job.

“I don’t need a bodyguard.”

“Good,” James said unexpectedly. He came closer and Cat gave him points for having a pair when she was sure murder was in her eyes. “I thought we could put our heads together. Talk over what we know about the Joker. Maybe we can figure out a way to find him in National City.”

Eyes narrowing, Cat stared at him, but she couldn’t detect even a hint of insincerity on his chiseled features. It wasn’t hard to see why Kara had fallen for him. Good looks and good intentions rolled up in a lean, muscular body that had several members of her staff, both male and female alike, all aflutter. But Kara had made it clear today. She’d made her choice and James Olsen wasn’t it.

Unable to hide a faintly smug smirk, Cat motioned for him to sit. “Fine,” she grumbled, but she turned back to the monitors, needing to keep an eye on her hero. 

“Why do you think he’s here?” James asked as he settled into a chair. “What does he want?”

“To do what he always does. Play his lethal and twisted games.”

“But he must be after something. He wouldn’t have come all this way just to mess with Supergirl.”

“Don’t be so sure about that.” But his words made Cat pause and consider the question seriously. She swiveled her chair to face him again. “Hmm. You’re right, though. There must be something here he wants, something he needs Supergirl out of the way to get.”

“You think he’s doing a heist right now?”

Cat slowly shook her head. “No. This is a test. He needs to know how fast she is. How good she is.”

“So he can be faster,” James murmured. “Or figure out her weaknesses.”

Cat drew in a slow breath, seething. “Mr. Olsen, assemble a team. Start investigating what the Joker could be after. We need options and so does Supergirl.”

**** 

“One more,” Kara announced as she stepped out of the bat enclosure at the National City Animal Sanctuary. Ice clung to her boots from her destruction of another bomb.

 _I thought it was funny,_ the Joker said. _Don’t appreciate my sense of humor?_

Supergirl rolled her eyes. “You have a problem with bats you should stick closer to home,” she muttered.

“We’re not finding anything,” Vasquez’s voice came over her comm. “Maybe there are only three.”

Shaking her head, Kara leapt skyward once more. Lucy was right, she was pushing her powers, already feeling the first signs of strain in her tiring muscles. “I trust Cat. If she thinks they’re four, they’re four. Did you check her penthouse?”

“It’s all clear,” Vasquez promised. 

“Supergirl?”

“Winn?” Kara tilted her head, listening intently as her best friend broke in over the comms.

“I’ve got it. Riverfront and 10th. Kara…” Winn’s voice broke and Kara braced herself. “It’s on a school bus.”

“Oh my God,” she whispered, changing course. She blew out windows with her speed, no time to play it safe.

 _You have help_ , the Joker declared with a snarl in his voice. _You’re cheating._

The city streaked by below, a blur of steel and asphalt. Kara spotted a bright yellow dot ahead, pulling over to the sidewalk that ran along the river. “Winn, I need the kids off that bus now!”

“Already on it!”

Supergirl landed hard, intentionally causing a crater in the road that would keep traffic from getting any closer. Cars veered left and right behind her, tires squealing as they came to an abrupt stop. The bus driver was hurrying kids off onto the sidewalk. It wasn’t ideal, but there was nowhere else to go. 

_That’s okay, Supergirl. So was I._ The Joker laughed. 

Heart in her throat, Kara ran, reaching the bus as the last child was swept into the driver’s arms. “That’s it!” the woman yelled as she ushered the kids as far from the bus as they could go.

A new whine filled Kara’s ears, the bomb priming. She picked up the bus before flying it toward the river, the only chance she had.

“Supergirl!” Lucy shouted in her ear in warning.

The bus groaned and bent as it hit the water with enough force to nearly break in two. Kara kept pushing, her muscles trembling under the strain, plunging the bus down, down, down until the blast ripped it apart like paper.

Debris rushed past her, slicing at her suit, her hands, as she tried to protect her face and eyes. The force of the explosion propelled her toward the surface, spinning her body about before thrusting her out of the water, hurdling back toward the street where she landed with sickening force on the hood of someone’s car.

Pain bloomed throughout her body, and Kara groaned, struggling to stay conscious as the blue sky above began to darken around the edges of her vision.

“Kara!” Winn was screaming, his voice faint and hazy. 

_Hmmm. You win this round, Supergirl. You’re faster than him. I didn’t calculate for that. But I will… next time._

Everything hurt as Kara rolled off the hood, collapsing on the street, drenched and gasping for breath as the driver of the vehicle she’d destroyed scrambled out of her car to help. Beneath her, Kara discovered her hands were covered in blood, gashed open by exploding shards of metal. The world continued to dim and she realized she had to get out of there, get somewhere safe before she lost consciousness, before she lost her powers completely. With a muttered apology to the helpful motorist, Kara used her ebbing strength to fly just far enough to escape the public eye.

Landing roughly in a field, Kara stumbled to her knees, the word tilting and spinning as she fell over onto her back, counting on Lucy to find her.

As darkness rushed in, Kara’s last thoughts were of Cat. 

Her eyes. Her smile. 

How pissed she was going to be that Supergirl has blown out her powers on the Joker’s games.

Oblivion rushed over her and Kara welcomed it.


	4. Chapter 4

Kara jolted awake with a gasp.

“Easy,” a familiar voice soothed. A hand touched Kara’s shoulder, patted it reassuringly. “You’re back at the DEO.”

“Lucy?” Kara swallowed, her throat oddly dry. She turned her head, her friend’s features slowly swimming into focus.

“You scared the ever living crap out of me. Don’t do that again.”

Wincing, Kara pushed away one of the lamps above her as she sat up on the sun bed. There was nothing on her that didn’t ache, but rather than the sharp, breath robbing pain after the explosion, now there was only soreness. “The Joker,” she croaked, clarity coming back with a rush of adrenaline at the memory. “Were there more bombs? Did he…”

“Easy,” Lucy said again. “You got them all. Thank God for Cat knowing a thing or two about how he operates.”

“Cat…” Kara whispered, the name causing a different kind of pain. She started to stand, determined to go to her even if it meant she had to face her as Kara Danvers.

“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” Lucy, all 5’2 of her, stepped in front of Supergirl as if she could stop her by sheer stubbornness alone. It would have been adorable if Kara hadn’t been so determined.

“Lucy, he came for her again. I...”

“She’s home, Kara. She’s safe. We’ve got agents monitoring her penthouse and CatCo. The Joker is not getting near her. Not tonight.”

The news was reassuring but it did nothing to sate Kara’s craving for the other woman. Restless, fractured, the day having taken its toll both physically and emotionally, Kara just wanted to go home, except “home” meant wherever Cat was. If she hadn’t been so tired, that thought might have given her pause, might have scared her at how quickly Cat was becoming the most important thing in her life, but in the moment, none of that mattered. She needed to see the other woman to feel safe, to feel whole.

“Kara, you should lie back down. You’re still not at a hundred percent. For a second there today, I thought I was going to have to explain to Washington, and even worse, your sister, that you got killed on my watch. Humor me, would you?”

Kara sighed. “I’m sorry. I had to push. Cat… Those kids…”

Lucy gripped her hand and squeezed and Kara was surprised to see the gashes had already healed. Apparently she’d skated on the edge of losing her powers but she still had a little bit of juice left. 

“I get it,” Lucy said with understanding. “What you did today was amazing. National City is gushing about you again on the news.” She gave Kara an encouraging smile but Kara didn’t have the strength to do anything more than halfheartedly return it.

“I might be happy about that if those people in the bank had made it.” Kara stood, swaying for a moment before she steadied. “I’m okay,” she promised when Lucy gave her a disgruntled look.

“Yes, the little bob and weave you just did was very convincing.” Lucy stepped aside and motioned at the door in exasperation. “Fine. Go. Not like I can keep you here short of slapping a pair of kryptonite cuffs on you.”

Reaching out, Kara pulled the shorter woman into a hug. “I’m okay,” she said again, sensing Lucy’s ire was coming from a place of friendship and concern. “Just tired. And I really need to see Cat. I need to know she’s alright.”

Lucy held her tightly. “You’ve got it bad,” she teased in a muffled, resigned voice.

Kara snorted faintly as she released the other woman. “Not denying that, but she’s got to be scared. I’m scared. He was willing to kill a bus full of children. Willing to take CatCo to the ground.”

“And what if you fall out of the sky on the way to her penthouse?”

“Then you have my permission to say you told me so.”

Rolling her eyes, Lucy sighed. “Before you go, I have the items you requested earlier today.”

“That was fast.”

“I figured you’d want us to put a rush on them.”

“Thank you, Lucy. For everything,” Kara added meaningfully.

“Yeah, yeah.” The director waved off her gratitude. “But when this is over, you’re buying me lunch and telling me all about you and Cat freaking Grant.”

A genuine smile finally shaped Kara’s lips. “I’d love that.”

****

Five hours. Five damn hours and no word.

Cat paced her darkened living room. She knew she’d made Carter anxious earlier but she couldn’t help it. There wasn’t enough Lexapro or liquor in the the world to deal with her own anxiety at the moment. Movement was the only treatment for her restlessness, the worry that gnawed relentlessly at her stomach. At this rate, she was going to clean out her bar and wear a rut in her carpet and Cat didn’t give a damn.

She’d been grateful when Carter had finally gone to bed so she could stop feeling guilty about upsetting him. Cat had tried to be strong, tried to reassure him, but she couldn’t stop thinking of the way Supergirl had fallen from that car, the way she’d staggered to her feet. Cat knew it in her guts that Kara was hurt somehow and she couldn’t put on a brave face when she was this terrified. 

Carter had actually been the voice of reason, promising her that Supergirl would be fine, that the Joker couldn’t hurt her. Cat didn’t know what it said about her parenting skills that her 13 year old son was managing the situation better than she was, but she knew things about Supergirl that Carter didn’t. Even if Kara was fine physically, and Cat had doubts about that, she was still likely to be torn up emotionally. The Joker had shown what he was capable of, his last four targets selected with purpose. Otto Binder Bridge where Supergirl had performed her first act of heroism. CatCo, the media empire that branded her a hero. The sanctuary where the Joker had undoubtedly spotted Supergirl on the news the night before. And finally, the most vulnerable of National City’s citizens, the ones whose deaths would have gutted Kara to her very core and turned the city against her once more if he’d succeeded.

It was unlike Supergirl not to linger, to know those kids were safe, but Cat had assumed she was making sure there were no more bombs, no more evil tricks up the Joker’s sleeve. An hour later, she’d expected to see Kara return to the office in enough time to review the proofs for tomorrow morning’s meeting, but Kara had never returned. Neither had Supergirl. 

There was no way in hell that Kara or her super alter ego wouldn’t have come to check on Cat by now. Even if they weren’t teetering on the edge of a romantic relationship, Supergirl would have made sure she was okay after the Joker’s attack. Cat had held up surprisingly well thanks to few glasses of bourbon, but the longer she went without seeing Kara the more concerned, and frustrated, she became. The only saving grace was that she was so worried about the younger woman she had little mental energy left to worry about herself.

Pivoting, Cat padded barefoot across her plush gray carpet, glancing at her phone for probably the thousandth time. James had promised her that Supergirl was going to be fine, but fine wasn’t good enough. She need Kara in the flesh, needed to see with her own eyes that she was safe, that she was unharmed.

James’ unwillingness to share any more details was infuriating. It galled Cat that he had access to Kara when she didn’t, that whoever was caring for Supergirl right now shared her status with him and not her. She was tired of being on the outside, tired of begging for scraps of information. She was the goddamn Queen of All Media, shut out of the only story that mattered.

If they were going to become intimate, and Cat certainly hoped that was going to be the case and soon, she deserved the truth, deserved to hear it from Kara herself before they crossed a line they could never uncross. Cat wanted in. All access. Nothing less was acceptable. 

Pivoting again, Cat paced toward the doors to her pool. Night was upon the city, and the underwater lights had blazed on a short while ago, casting rippling reflections of water on her ceiling in the darkened room. A shadow crossed them suddenly and Cat went still until she caught a glimpse of a familiar red cape.

“Thank God,” she whispered, relief washing through her so hard she swayed in place.

Supergirl leaned against the rail, looking out over the city, her shoulders bowed under the weight of all the day had cost her. The weariness in her usually proud frame hurt Cat’s heart to see, and she stood there for a moment with her hand on the door handle, getting her emotions in check. Kara hadn’t come for her pity, but that didn’t stop Cat from feeling it.

God damn the Joker, she thought. God damn him straight to hell.

Cat opened the door, but Supergirl didn’t turn. She merely took a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling. The smell of chlorine drifted on the breeze, the heated pool lending a warmth and humidity to the air as Cat cautiously came closer, the tile smooth and cold beneath her feet. Debating with herself, she pondered her best angle of approach, not sure if she should rant at Kara for worrying her, thank her for saving CatCo, or just kiss the damn girl senseless and be grateful she was there alive and whole.

“I was beginning to wonder,” Cat murmured, pleased her voice sounded calm, even, and the slightest bit peeved.

Supergirl turned to lean against the rail and shock rippled through Cat at how exhausted she appeared. While there were no physical signs of injury, something about the way the younger woman held herself suggested she was in pain.

“I’m sorry,” Kara said softly, looking very much like Cat’s erstwhile assistant and less like the hero Cat had expected to see. “I came as soon as I could.”

Cat believed her. How could she not when those blue eyes were looking at her with such honesty and longing it took her breath away. She drifted closer, the scent of chlorine more pungent with each step. “Are you alright?”

“That was going to be my line,” Kara joked weakly.

Cat settled next to her at the rail, looking out at her multi-million dollar view and seeing none of it. Her nerves steadied at the living warmth radiating off Kara as she shifted closer, their hips nearly touching as Supergirl adopted a similar pose and they stared out at the night together. 

“Thank you,” Supergirl said unexpectedly, her voice clear but quiet. “If you hadn’t known the Joker the way you did…” She lapsed into silence and Cat waited. “Sixty kids. He was willing to kill _sixty_ kids.”

“They had you to save them, just like I did,” Cat reminded her. “You disarmed all those bombs.”

“Not the first one.”

“You are not to feel guilty about that.” Cat turned, leaning her hip against the rail so she could study Supergirl’s profile.

“How can I not feel guilty? I knew he was here. I knew he was planning something…” 

Cat wasn’t willing to hear her useless excuses even though she’d expected them. “Do you make a habit out of x-raying every building you fly over?” she asked pointedly, having already planned out her responses to this inevitable disagreement in her head.

“I… no.” Supergirl frowned. “But…”

“And what if you’d been saving a church full of nuns across town? Would you have been able to stop it then?”

Supergirl’s jaw clenched.

“Or maybe…”

“I get it,” Supergirl interrupted with a contrite sigh.

“The point, Supergirl, is that no one is to blame for those deaths except the man who killed those six people. I will not stand here and let you carry that on your conscience when it is not your burden to bear.” Cat’s tone brooked no argument. This was a lesson the younger woman needed to learn or being a superhero would destroy her from the inside out. No matter where their evolving relationship went from here, Cat wasn’t going to let that happen.

Supergirl looked at her after a long, thoughtful minute of silence. “You’re totally ruining my pity party,” she grumbled with a touch of morose humor that lightened Cat’s heart to hear. 

“This is what he does,” Cat explained, her tone modulating to something gentler. “He did the same thing to your cousin. He finds a weakness and exploits it for fun. Your… humanity... makes you vulnerable.”

“What about what he did to you?” Supergirl asked softly, disarming Cat completely with the question. “What weakness was he trying to exploit in Metropolis?”

Cat couldn’t hold her gaze. “The Joker wasn’t toying with me the way he is with you. He wants to taunt you. Test you. When I went after him, he didn’t find it… amusing.” She smiled grimly at the pun.

“He almost killed you, Cat.”

“He tried.”

“And today he tried again.”

“But you got there first.” Hesitating for a moment, Cat finally reached for Kara’s hand, drawing her closer as she laid the younger woman’s palm on her stomach, just below her ribs on her left side. “I have a two inch scar that ensures I’ll never forget the Joker or what he did to me.” 

Supergirl’s fingers flexed over the spot, the heat of her seeping through Cat’s clothes and keeping her darkest memories at bay. 

“You know this wasn’t about you. He wasn’t trying to get to you through me. This is personal between me and him.” Cat willed Kara to understand. “For all my bravado, I’m scared, but I will not let him terrorize me, or you, or my city, without a fight.” 

“I’m scared,” Supergirl admitted with an intensity Cat hadn’t expected. “I’m scared I’ll miss something. That he’ll slip by me and I won’t get there in time…” Kara’s voice broke as she struggled to rein in her emotions. “I’m scared that just when this… this… _thing_ between us is starting that he’ll take you away from me.”

Cat swallowed. “Supergirl…” 

“You portray me in the press like I’m just and kind and…”

“You are those things,” Cat said fiercely, gripping Kara’s wrist where her hand still covered her scar. “Don’t let him…”

“It’s not him!” Kara fired back, ripping her hand away. “There is a darkness in me, Cat. It came out when I was infected, but there is also this… anger.” She looked away, ashamed. “I try so hard to stuff it down, to be the symbol everyone expects me to be. But he hurt you… he wants to hurt you again… and Rao help me, if he does…”

Cat slipped her arms around the younger woman, startled to feel Kara trembling. After a moment, Kara returned the embrace, pulling her in tight and close. Cat melted into her, all the anxiety and worry from the last several hours disappearing as she stood in the safest place on Earth.

“You’ve been through hell,” Cat murmured against Kara’s shoulder. “Lost more than anyone can imagine and yet you choose to be just. You choose to be kind. You choose to live your life trying to spare others from the pain you carry every day.” She leaned back so she could look into cherished blue eyes, let Kara see the awe she felt for her. “That’s what makes you a hero.”

“I’ll kill him if he hurts you,” Kara confessed and Cat saw no deception in her gaze. “How does that make me a hero?”

“It doesn’t.” Cat gently cupped the younger woman’s cheek. “But it makes you human. If he hurt you or Carter, I would spend every last penny of my fortune to hunt him down and make him suffer.”

“Please, Cat… I need you to stay out of this.” 

“I can’t. The Joker won’t let me. He was willing to kill all my employees today. What if he hadn’t warned you? What if he’d set off that bomb when my son was in the parking garage?”

Supergirl looked away and Cat knew the thought had already crossed her mind probably a thousand times.

“You need me. No one knows the Joker in National City as well as I do, but I… I realized today that I can’t make myself the public face of the crusade to stop him. Egging him on won’t help anything. It’s not just me on the line anymore. As much as it pains me, as much as I hate giving any ground to that madman, I have to leave that to you. I promised you I would put Carter first…”

The rest of her words fell away as Supergirl stepped forward, pulling Cat into her arms again. Cat closed her eyes, holding on tight, her hands fisting in Kara’s cape. 

“Thank you,” Supergirl said in a fierce whisper. Her relief palpable. 

They stayed that way for a few quiet minutes, simply holding one another before Cat could no longer resist the pull toward the younger woman. Leaning back, Cat gently cupped Kara’s cheek, letting her thumb ghost over Kara’s lower lip. Supergirl closed her eyes, swaying in place at the touch. “We won’t let him win,” Cat promised before closing the distance between them and kissing her softly.

**** 

Fatigue vanished at the first brush of Cat’s lips on hers. Kara yielded to the intimate touch without hesitation or reservation, needing it. Craving it. 

They kissed for several quiet moments, taking solace in each other while reveling in the strengthening connection between them. Heat simmered just beneath the surface, but neither pushed things further, content to simply savor the touch they’d denied themselves for so long.

They drew apart slowly and chills skittered down Kara’s spine at the look in Cat’s eyes. No one had ever looked at her like that before, like she hung the sun, moon, and stars, but Kara suspected she was looking at Cat in much the same way. 

“I’m getting…” Cat took an unsteady breath. “I’m getting very addicted to doing that.”

Kara’s stomach twitched at the declaration. “Feel free to do it some more,” she murmured with a sleepy smile.

Cat’s fingers drifted down Kara’s cheek before sliding down her neck, coming to rest on the collar of her suit where they traced back and forth in sure, steady strokes. Kara swallowed as she imagined those fingers touching her in far more intimate ways, nearly dizzy at the possibilities. “Cat…”

“If I weren’t so worried about you falling into the pool right now...” Cat’s hand moved lower, tracing knowingly over the S on Kara’s chest. “I might risk it if I thought I could actually fish you out.”

Lightheaded as Cat’s touch continued, Kara laughed a little at the mental image. “Sadly, in my current state, that might be a real possibility.” 

Pursing her lips, Cat took her hand, leading her to one of the double chaise lounges by the pool. Kara sat gratefully as Cat settled on the other side, leaning back and getting comfortable. She quirked an eyebrow at Supergirl until she did the same.

Kara snorted faintly once she’d relaxed. “Your pool furniture is more comfortable than my couch.”

“Feel free to come enjoy it during the day sometime.” Cat grinned suddenly. “Hmm. Maybe we should offer Supergirl bikinis at the CatCo store. Little S’s on the…”

“Don’t you dare,” Kara growled playfully, knowing Cat was trying to lift her spirits and succeeding.

Cat chuckled and the sound did wonderful things for not only Kara’s mood but her whole body. Rao she loved the way the other woman laughed. 

“You don’t do that enough,” Kara murmured.

“Shamelessly market you to the masses? Good to know.”

“Laugh.” Kara was delighted when a faint blushed bloomed on Cat’s cheeks, visible even in the low light.

“Well…” Cat cleared her throat. “I seem to do that more around you.”

“Come here,” Kara whispered, crooking one finger at Cat much the same way the older woman had done from inside her elevator earlier in the day.

“What?” Cat eyed her suspiciously only to have her breath catch as Kara gently grabbed her arm and pulled her effortlessly over to her side of the lounge. “You could have just asked,” Cat sniffed, but something in her eyes told Kara that she rather liked the show of power. She would remember that.

“I have something for you.” Kara blinked heavily, her fatigue growing stronger now that she was off her feet and comfortable and Cat’s warmth was blanketing her side. She rolled up her left sleeve, revealing the two watches she’d requested in an email to Lucy as they’d dropped Carter at home earlier. 

Cat eased closer, appearing very much like her namesake as she stretched out along Kara’s side, her chin propped up on her fist. Kara had to remind herself to breathe as Cat’s other arm eased over her stomach with possessive intent. “We haven’t even slept together and you’re already giving me jewelry?” 

Kara was pretty sure she was turning as red as her cape. “Um…” She shook her head, and Cat was clearly enjoying the effect she had on her if the knowing, sensual grin on Cat’s lips was any indication. Kara was tempted to kiss that smile right off Cat’s face, but with the heat of the other woman so close and distracting, she wasn’t sure she could stop. “You live to fluster me.”

“I do,” Cat purred, unashamed, and Kara’s hormones went wild.

“Uh…”

“Cat got your tongue?”

Huffing out an amused, shaky breath, Kara gave her a pleading look as she lifted Cat’s left arm and fastened the watch on her wrist. “I barely had the strength left to fly here,” she admitted. “Now you’ve guaranteed I’ll be distracted on my way home. If I crash through any buildings it’s your fault.”

Cat smiled, pleased at her power over the younger woman. “You could stay.”

Their gazes met, so close Kara was momentarily mesmerized by the flares of green in the other woman’s hazel eyes. “Cat…”

“To sleep,” Cat clarified.

“Oh…”

“Though I do appreciate where your mind went.”

Body torn between desire and a desperate need for sleep, Kara fought both, struggling to focus on the watch and the reason it was necessary. “I know it’s not Cartier, but I thought maybe it would do.”

“It’s lovely,” Cat admitted, turning her wrist to take in the gold timepiece with curiosity and letting Kara off the hook for now. “But why do I suspect this isn’t a simple gift?”

Kara pressed a button on the side of the watch and the watch face sprang upward, revealing her crest beneath. “If you’re ever in trouble, press this,” she said seriously. “I can hear it almost anywhere, and I’ll come as fast as I can.”

Cat’s eyebrows lifted and a smirk shaped her lips.

“For emergencies only,” Supergirl added at the speculative look.

“So no calling you up for quotes or exclusives? No late night superhero booty calls?”

Supergirl couldn’t help but laugh. “Cat…”

“Fine. Ruin my fun.” Cat smiled as her finger traced the crest. “Your friend James. He has one of these?”

Kara wondered if she imagined the jealousy in Cat’s tone. “Yes. My cousin gave him one.”

“It didn’t come from you?”

Kara shook her head. “You’re the first.”

That seemed to please the older woman and Kara smiled at Cat’s competitive streak. She slipped off the other watch. “This one is for Carter.”

Cat hesitated a moment before she accepted it, exploring the watch and noting the same crest beneath the face. “You trust a teenage boy with this?” she asked, quietly amazed.

“I trust your son.”

Cat’s thumb eased over the watch surface before she met Kara’s gaze again, a look in her eyes Kara couldn’t define but it made her warm all over. “Thank you,” Cat said sincerely. “I feel better about all this knowing Carter has you watching over him.”

“I’m watching over both of you,” Kara promised, giving in to temptation and letting her fingers ease through Cat’s soft hair, tucking a few locks behind her ear. “I’ll sleep better knowing you’re both-”

Cat’s mouth came down on hers, and Kara moaned softly in surprise as Cat slid closer. The friction between them caused an explosion in Kara’s senses, all of them suddenly and utterly consumed by the woman beside her. She kissed Cat back with equal fervor, her fatigue be damned. This was what she’d needed to heal, Cat’s touch, her taste, the very scent of her set Kara’s soul at ease while lighting her body on fire.

But after a few of the most intense moments of Kara’s life, Cat slowly backed off before easing away. They were both breathing hard, and Kara couldn’t tell if she was shaking in reaction or if it the tremble she felt was all Cat. “You didn’t have to stop,” she whispered.

Cat’s fingers traced Kara’s lower lip. “You need rest.”

“I need you,” Kara answered, never having been as honest with Cat as she was in that moment.

Groaning softly, Cat closed her eyes. “What in the hell are we doing?” She swallowed before her eyes blinked open again, and the desire in them hit Kara hard, causing a new kind of ache only Cat could soothe. “I’m twice your age. I’m your...” Cat sucked down a deep breath, biting back whatever she was about to say and looking unhappy about it, but Kara suspected she knew the rest of that sentence and her heart began to slam against her ribs.

“Cat…”

Sighing, Cat put her head down on Supergirl’s chest. “I can’t stop, though. Damnit, I can’t…”

It was Kara’s turn to close her eyes, relief and joy combining in equal measure. “I don’t want you to.” She slid her arms around the older woman, holding her in place. “I want this. I want you. I’ve only recently allowed myself to realize how much.” Their bodies fit together perfectly, and Kara smiled up at the stars as one of Cat’s bare feet teased down Kara’s calf, knocking her boot off before doing the same to her other leg.

“We’re both insane,” Cat murmured, but she sound resigned, accepting that whatever was happening was going to play itself out between them. 

Kara kept grinning. “If this is what insane feel like, I’m okay with that.” Cat shifted, snuggling up against her side, her head resting on Kara’s shoulder as her left hand began to rub soothingly over Kara’s stomach. “Mmm.” 

“Rest,” Cat encouraged quietly.

“Not sleepy.” Kara didn’t want to rest. She wanted to wallow in this perfect moment, in this amazing feeling, but her eyelids had never felt so heavy. They fluttered closed, Cat’s soothing touch calming her body and mind. 

“Liar,” Cat murmured, a hint of a smile in her voice.

Humming in agreement, Kara sank further into the lounge, willingly obeying Cat’s command. 

The last twelve years of her life, Kara had been searching for a place where she could feel like she belonged again. She’d never thought that place would be a person. It was the last thought she had before sleep consumed her.

Cat watched as Kara’s breathing evened out, finally yielding to her exhaustion. “Sweet dreams, my Supergirl,” she whispered reverently. “You’ve earned them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and coming along for the ride with this series!
> 
> Working on the next (and probably last) installment in the series now. Hopefully I'll be able to crank out the first chapter in the next few weeks.


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